FaucetFacts January 2025

January 2025

We are excited to launch the Faucet Facts newsletter, a quarterly update from the Public Utility Commission of Texas (PUCT) on water and sewer retail public utility regulation. Water is critical to Texas, and ensuring safe, reliable, and affordable utility services is vital to sustaining our quality of life and economic growth. This newsletter will provide updates on regulatory changes, industry insights, and best practices to keep stakeholders informed.

Critical Facilities Updates Texas Water Code § 13.194 requires “affected utilities” to annually file specific information with: • The PUCT; • Each transmission and distribution service provider; • Each retail electric provider; • The Office of Emergency Management in every county where the utility has facilities that qualify for critical load status; and • The Division of Emergency Management.

Required information includes: • All the public water systems and sewer systems owned by the utility; • All affiliates or assumed names; • Location of all water and sewer facilities that qualify for critical load status; • Emergency contact information; and • An alternate emergency contact including a phone number and mailing address.

The PUCT Project for 2025 Critical Facility Filings and Updates is Project No. 57275.

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Free Help is Available The PUCT Division of Utility Outreach (DUO) works to ensure retail public water and sewer utilities stay compliant with regulations designed to protect consumers, human health, and the environment.

Under the PUCT’s Financial, Managerial, and Technical (FMT) Assistance Program, our professional contractors provide existing or proposed retail public water or sewer utilities with support and guidance tailored to their specific needs. Our contractors can also help struggling water or sewer utilities carefully consider whether consolidation with a neighboring retail public utility would be the best business decision for the utility and its owners.

If you own or operate a retail public water or sewer utility and need help, please contact DUO@puc.texas.gov.

Meet Our FMT Contractor Superior Water Management (Superior), led by Phillip Givens, is the PUCT Contractor for the FMT Assistance Program. With over 42 years of experience and 26 years in utility management, Givens is a respected industry expert who has presented at Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) and Texas Rural Water Association (TRWA) conferences.

Superior supports retail public water and sewer utilities across Texas by offering board training, rate studies, record keeping guidance, community meetings assistance, service area applications, Water Supply Corporation (WSC) formations, consolidation assistance, and more.

Phillip Givens, Superior Water Management

Join the Conversation We value your input! This newsletter is about sharing information and creating a dialogue. If you have questions, feedback, or topics you’d like to see covered, we encourage you to reach out.

DUO is committed to helping retail public water and sewer utilities understand, navigate, and achieve regulatory compliance with the PUCT. Division of Utility Outreach Contact: DUO@puc.texas.gov Scan the QR code for more water utility resources:

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